


Pitch

by forestofsecrets



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Feelings Realization, M/M, Nervousness, Pre-Relationship, Ren is very nervous and soft when it comes to love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:10:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21660607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forestofsecrets/pseuds/forestofsecrets
Summary: Ren is given the job of writing an episode of a television show. He has creative control over the content and decides to push the limits, drawing on his own experiences and feelings as a guide.
Relationships: Hijirikawa Masato/Jinguuji Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	Pitch

**Author's Note:**

> This one of those stories that changed from my initial idea to when I actually sat down to write it. It was supposed to be purely a comedy story but I realized that I write Ren with being enamoured with Masa even if romance isn't the focus of the story. Once I realized this, the story got longer and more emotional. I am not one for writing about sexuality and feelings but I decided to finish this story for that reason.
> 
> I think this could have been handled better... I am still not overly happy with how this came out. Did I try to put too much into it? Is it cause I am not used to writing about these topics? Maybe.
> 
> Made on 11/19/2019 - 12/02/2019.

If anyone asked, Ren was doing research. With his feet up and an arm strewn across the back of the couch, he held the television remote in his hand. The episode of the show he was watching was just ending, with the credits rolling on the screen. A stack of DVD’s towered next to the player, ready to be popped in. Ren hit the fast forward button to get to the next episode, making the credits zoom by. 

He was watching full seasons of one show titled What’s Your Pitch. It was unique on television as it boasted its premise on hosting different writers for each episode. These writers weren’t professional but instead were actors, idols, and models. Now, it was Ren’s chance to take the lead writing role and direct an episode. That was why he had to conduct this research, to see what was already done so he doesn’t repeat it.

The actors for the show were willing to take on anything. Ren himself wouldn’t star in the show, only direct it. The full direction of the episode was completely up to the lead writer. Ren was already well through the third season but he had already seen it all. He had seen idealistic scenes with the house and white picket fence and then science fiction scenes with aliens and abductions. Then there were the period dramas, westerns, court dramas, sport underdog stories, soap operas, and the list went on.

Coming up with an original idea was going to be tough. But Ren wouldn’t settle for anything less.

Just as another episode was working through the all too familiar opening, some of Ren’s former classmates joined him. Syo jumped over the back of the sofa to take a seat while Tokiya sat down normally. Ren withdrew his arm to give them more space.

“Whatcha watching?” Syo spoke up over the opening music, some charming little tune. “Oh, is this that show you recently got hired for?” 

Ren nodded. “That’s right. They’re midway through the sixth season and I’ve got to admit, finding an idea to base an episode on is harder than I thought it would be.” Ren wanted to stand out and write an episode that would be talked about until the end of the show’s run. That meant he really had to think about how he was going to tackle this. “So, this is research.”

“Do you have anything in mind?” The quiet question came from Tokiya, who turned his attention from the screen to Ren. The current episode was a romance, something that was right up Ren’s alley. If that was the theme Ren had in mind, then it would certainty take a creative twist to make it stand out.

The conversation paused to watch the onscreen couple embrace. It was a scene in the rain, with soft lighting and a passionate monologue from the male lead. Once the sappy music faded out, the conversation picked back up.

“I was thinking about a love story but,” with a gesture to the TV, Ren shrugged. “I’ll really need to get creative and I still have three more seasons to watch. I’m starting to think that everything’s already been done.” He gave a faux disparaging laugh at himself.

“If I were the one writing it, I’d include a fight scene. Definitely.” Syo had a look on his face like he was already imagining how it would go, his hands twitched as if he were completing the moves himself. “With lots of karate. I’d want to showcase how cool it can be. That’s what I’d do.”

A fight scene wasn’t quite what Ren had in mind but if that was Syo’s style, then that’s fair. The shortest idol was very much the type to include those types of flashy scenes. Perhaps it was a side effect of all the action movies that Syo starred in over the years and the influence of their teacher back in their academy days.

“What about you, Icchi? What would you do?” Ren turned the question to Tokiya, wanting to hear his opinion as well. 

Tokiya didn’t answer right away. His eyes lingered on the screen, watching as the couple play out a scene. “I’d want to write something that only I can write. You should do something that only you can do.” 

It was cryptic advice but it stuck in Ren’s head as they wished him luck and left him to his DVD’s. 

“Has it started yet? Did I miss anything?”

Syo skidded into the room with his hands full of snacks, a bowl of popcorn in one hand and multiple packages of candies in the other. Some popcorn tipped over the edge of the bowl due to his momentum, spilling onto the floor. The lost pieces were ignored for now as the show was about to start.

“You’re right on time,” Ren said. Syo had offered to do a quick snack run and had set off in a hurry. His way of distributing the snacks was to toss the unopened packs to those that asked for them. The chocolate candies went to Otoya and Cecil, the gummy candies to Ren, Tokiya got the dried vegetable chips, and Syo kept the popcorn for him and Natsuki to share. Masato had declined any snack but Ren would leave his package well within reach.

The episode was about to air. The group had found a break in their schedules to come together and spend some time to watch Ren’s episode in real time. It was a sweet notion but Ren secretly suspected that they wanted to see if he had taken any of their suggestions to heart. If they had their way, this episode would have been full of ninjas and puppies.

The opening music played, and the group yelled when Ren’s name appeared as the lead writer. They settled down when it started, intent on watching the fruits of Ren’s labour. 

However, Ren already knew how it would play out. He allowed himself to zone out and watch the others in the room instead. Ren saw all the pre-aired cuts anyways so he already knew what was going to happen.

So, instead, he focused on the crunch of the popcorn, the rustle of the plastic packaging as Cecil searched for another chocolate, and how straight Tokiya sat even against a sloping cushion. Ren noticed how Masato had already dug into his candy, not trying to hide it in the least. Most of all, Ren noticed how much he was noticing Masato.

That made his body temperature spike, perspiration collecting in his palms. There was no use in getting nervous; the episode was already out, airing as Ren sat there overthinking. But he couldn’t help but wonder if it was a good idea to have done what he did. 

The audience was well acquainted with the protagonist by now. It was a handsome leading man, bearing a slight resemblance to Ren himself through no fault of his own, who was receiving strange letters signed without a name. The protagonist would write back, leading to a budding, long distance romance. He would sign his letters as O, matching the unknown sender who chose the letter B.

Ren did indeed write a love story. It was one that was based off his own life, as much as he could cram in there. He had taken Tokiya’s words to heart. Instead of writing a generic love story with generic characters, Ren wrote about himself. He wrote about the slow fall, the bubbling emotions, the falling head over heels in love. Then came the pining and uncertainty, the dancing around it and distant flirting. It would have been so much easier if he didn’t have to see the person of his affections day after day.

It was implied throughout the episode that B was female, what with the intimate knowledge of domestic affairs like cooking and sewing. That was Ren’s only saving grace, how he managed to slip past the censors. Though, Ren would have the last laugh with the final scene.

It was a chance meeting between the two characters. The scene closed with the protagonist realizing that the person that he had been trading letters with was a man. The camera caught the actors faces filled with surprise, in a stunned, momentary silence. Then, a hand was extended for a handshake, which was accepted and the episode ended. 

Ren swallowed dryly. The crunching of the popcorn had stopped. There were no hands diving into candy bags to make noises. A gasp had come from somewhere in the group, Ren wasn’t sure if it was Syo or Otoya. But now he could feel the eyes on him. Cecil and Natsuki turned their heads to Ren while Tokiya opted to glance a little bit more subtly from the side. 

Masato’s face was unreadable. He was still staring at the television, which was airing the next slotted program. Ren could tell that the gears were turning in his head. Masato wasn’t stupid by any means but he could be oblivious. But surely even he could follow the bread crumb trail that Ren had left him.

“Mm.” The person to break the silence was Masato himself, having seemingly reached a conclusion in his mind. “That was a good episode. You did well. I’d like to discuss your inspiration for it at a later time.”

Ren let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

“Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to make the initials that the TV characters use J and H but decided against it lol so I went with O for orange and B for blue instead.


End file.
